BEFORE I OFFER ideas on how Costco can help you celebrate
Valentine’s Day, I want to assure you that I recognize the deeper
meaning behind the little candy hearts with sayings like “Be Mine!”
and “Crazy ; U,” and those clever Hallmark cards with hearts and
smooches. It’s all about honoring love and romance with a special
day every year. After all, if there’s a National Hot Dog Day, shouldn’t
we do something special for Cupid?

The holiday’s origins are obscure, stretching back to the third
century A.D. and possibly even further to Roman times. It is known
that a man named Valentinus was martyred in Rome on February ;;
around ;;; A.D. The Catholic Church established St. Valentine’s Day to honor him,
though confusion lingers because there are several St. Valentines. Some speculate that
the church placed the feast day in the middle of February in an e;ort to Christianize the
ancient Roman celebration of Lupercalia, a fertility festival.

Over time, the holiday took on its romantic overtones in poetry and plays. We’ve
been exchanging paper valentines since the early ;;th century. (Valentine cards are
second in popularity, behind Christmas cards.) Those little candy hearts with the sentimental messages appeared in the early ;;;;s. And today, you can readily find
Valentine’s Day poems on the internet (just search “Valentine’s Day poems”).

As to how this romantic holiday connects with Costco, read on. In this edition of The
Connection, we feature numerous stories and ads that o;er ideas for thoughtful gifts and
meals. For example, Costco wine buyers name their favorite romantic wines, with some
food pairings thro wn in (page ;;). Flowers always make a wonderful Valentine’s Day gift
(page ;;); the tulips featured here are lovely and a;ordable. You’ll ;nd other varieties
and bouquets in the warehouses, and an additional selection online at Costco.com,
where delivery options make sending ;owers easy. We end our coverage this month with
“Costco Love”—yes, romantic stories from members at Costco.

How else to express your love? A popular favorite is chocolate; you’ll ;nd a good
selection in the warehouses. In the jewelry cases and at Costco.com, you’ll ;nd stunning
necklaces, rings and more. Diamonds would make anybody’s heart ;utter. And a good
book, well chosen, is always a thoughtful, heartfelt gift. C

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK

MY HUSBAND AND I are true cruise a;cionados. We love the ambience and the amenities, the tours and the food, as well as the opportunity to visit the di;erent ports of call. We have a list of places we
can check o; as “been there, done that” and places we would like to
revisit someday. I have to admit, there is something very peaceful—
almost hypnotic—about gliding across a serene blue sea.

So I was eager to learn more about the man who oversees Carnival
Corporation’s vast cruising empire. As president and CEO, Arnold
Donald is master and commander of ;; cruise lines, each with a distinct personality. His biggest challenge, as he explains in the cover
story on page ;;, is to make sure all the cruise lines share one important trait: fun. Judging from our experiences (we have even sailed on

Ruby Princess, pictured on page ;), he has accomplished his goal.

Of course, life isn’t all cruising, all the time (sadly). And when we are back at
home, there always seems to be something around the house that needs our attention:
repairing the roof from storm damage, bringing our bathrooms into the ;;st century,
maintaining the rain gutters or replacing older, less energy-e;cient appliances. I am
lucky that my husband is quite handy around the house. But, as knowledgeable as he
is on the subject, I think he will enjoy reading the articles in this month’s special
section about bathroom remodels (page ;;), Energy Star appliances (page ;;) and
even gutter guards (page ;;), which would help keep him o; the roof—and help keep
my heart rate manageable.

Speaking of heart rates, February is Heart Health Awareness Month. Bob Harper, of

Biggest Loser fame, su;ered a near-fatal heart attack that had him reassessing his
approach to ;tness and diet. He opens up about the experience (page ;;) and how that
in;uenced his latest cookbook, The Super Carb Diet, which is available now at Costco.

As for my husband and me? We’re already planning the tours for our cruise in June
heading out of Copenhagen. Bon voyage! C